Mississippi John Hurt: Essential Recordings—Candy Man Blues

Mississippi John Hurt, who first recorded in 1928 and promptly faded into obscurity, was "rediscovered" 35 years later, still living in his hometown of Avalon, Mississippi, his musical skills still intact after a lifetime of manual labor. After an appearance at the Newport Folk Festival, he became a major attraction on the festival circuit throughout his remaining days. He was certainly a bluesman, but his gentle vocals and intricate finger-picking guitar playing were entirely unlike other Delta musicians. The recordings on this disc have been culled from his late-career sessions and include many of his best-loved compositions like "Avalon Blues," "Candy Man Blues," "Louis Collins," "Spike Driver Blues," and the traditional "Casey Jones."